Red Bull considering Pirelli test

F1 Fanatic Round-up

Posted on

| Written by

In the round-up: Christian Horner says Red Bull is considering doing a test for Pirelli.

Links

Your daily digest of F1 news, views, features and more.

Red Bull explore tyre test (Sporting Life)

“Whatever happens it has to be done transparently. We don’t want people sneaking off behind closed doors – and wearing nondescript helmets.”

Red lightning at the green hell (Ferrari)

Fernando Alonso: “I see it looking good and I think we can give it an 8, a good score. We are definitely not the quickest car, however, it is a very complete car, so I am pleased with it I would say. As for myself, it’s not for me to give a number. I’ve definitely improved a lot since the early years, let’s say we are more complete, but there is always room for improvement race by race with experience, with everything.”

Honda to fire up new F1 engine this autumn (Autosport)

“Although the manufacturer is understood to have been conducting preliminary research into F1’s new engine rules for some time, it is only in recent months that the project has been given the green light.”

Race drivers must test first – Fernley (ESPN)

“The last thing you want to do is to put an untried tyre on to Silverstone with young drivers ?óÔé¼?ª I think that it’s important for your own peace of mind as a team, and each team has to make its own decision.”

The Finishing Line – with McLaren’s Jenson Button (F1)

“Overtaking is always a good feeling. A couple that have been mentioned recently aren’t necessarily the best moves, but were great moments – going past Sebastian (Vettel) on the last lap at Montreal in 2011 to win the race is one, and overtaking Michael Schumacher at my first ever British Grand Prix is another.”

Tweets

Comment of the day

Historic events like the Goodwood Festival of Speed are great but they do have one drawback:

Am I the only one around here who hates when they put current liveries on older cars? Thank god the e doesn’t show any Santander logos!
@Carlitox

From the forum

Happy birthday!

Happy birthday to Pawelf1, Robert, Voaridase, Hoolyf1 and Paul Sainsbury!

If you want a birthday shout-out tell us when yours is by emailling me, using Twitter or adding to the list here.

On this day in F1

And happy birthday to former F1 driver Jarno Trulli who’s 39 today!

Image © Red Bull/Getty

Author information

Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

Got a potential story, tip or enquiry? Find out more about RaceFans and contact us here.

43 comments on “Red Bull considering Pirelli test”

  1. From Jenson’s interview:

    My most treasured possession is …
    JB: My world championship trophy.

    Isn’t there one trophy that the current champion keeps? or am i wrong ?

    1. As far as I can remember, you’re right. Most drivers get a replica made, though.

    2. Jake Moon (@andwhatisdeletrazdoing)
      15th July 2013, 2:25

      The FIA allows for two exact copies of the Driver’s trophy and one exact copy of the Constructor’s trophy to be produced.

  2. Tomorrow on Tyre-Gate Watch: Red Bull considering name change to Sour Grapes, insist this won’t cause too much confusion with Ferrari’s old name under Todt and Brawn, Scuderia Ferrari Bygones.

    1. @npf1 Mercedes have had a test with their current car. Ferrari have had two tests with a two-year-old car. What’s wrong with Red Bull requesting a test?

      And isn’t this exactly the kind of testing work Pirelli want to be able to do to avoid a repeat of Silverstone?

      I don’t see how Red Bull are being unreasonable by wanting to do a test of their own.

      1. Well, you know, they have Sebastian Vettel. And they’re winning champs. Apparantly reason enough to object…

      2. @keithcollantine It’s not so much about them wanting to do a test. I personally don’t think they need to, but since Ferrari have gotten away with doing so, I agree Red Bull is right to request a test.

        It’s their insanely immature attitude about it that strikes me as similar to Ross Brawn’s infamous press conference in 2003 about the Michelin tyres. The passive aggressive remarks on another’s actions belong on teenagers’ Facebooks, not on the paddock. It’s so sour and unprofessional, imo.

        1. that’s when I lost respect for Ross Brawn – his timing and reasoning at that moment was pathetic and un-sportsman, he came across as the dirtiest politician. People forgot that – when he bought in a new and interesting team in 2009, but it was just money that did it not hard work, as Honda built the car and he was in the right moment at the right time to buy. since then he has been an unsuccessful team principal of a very very rich F1 team, and I hope that is how he remains as karma for his disgusting behaviour in 2003, which he has re-enacted in 2012.

          1. oop, I mean 2013!

          2. Honda were spending a lot of money even before Brawn came to the team. They were pathetically slow with few success. He was the one who told the team to focus on 2009, and he was the one who led the design of the car. Its not his fault that Honda pulled out. He saw the speed of the car he designed and decided to buy the team. Whats wrong with that? You make it sound like he came from the outside and bought a quick car and got lucky. And where was Ferrari before Schmi, Brawn and co joined the team? They were what Williams is now. A team that once had great success but almost no hope of reclaiming that. Even if you dont like Brawn, you have to admit he is good at what he does, and he has the trophies to prove it.

      3. @keithcollantine

        And isn’t this exactly the kind of testing work Pirelli want to be able to do to avoid a repeat of Silverstone?

        Actually I thought the exact kind of testing work Pirelli needed was with a current car, not a two year old one. And I thought this is why they have changed the nature of the YDT…so that EVERY team (except Mercedes) can test the tires on their current cars.

        I don’t see how Red Bull are being unreasonable by wanting to do a test of their own.

        It wasn’t too many weeks ago that Red Bull themselves acknowledged that had they done the test in May rather than Mercedes that would have been even more controversial and highly contentious since they were (and still are) leading the Championships. I don’t see how that would change if Red Bull actually approached Pirelli to test, as opposed to Pirelli approaching FIA and then Mercedes to test. If one wants to argue that they only want to use a two year old car therefore it’s all right, then I suggest either everyone get off Ferrari’s back, or otherwise Ferrari should be penalized similarly to Mercedes if testing with a two year old car is more meaningful than we have been lead to believe.

        Either way, since this is Red Bull suggesting a test, to me that changes the equation. It reeks of hypocracy and suggests that Red Bull is not happy with the penalty Mercedes received and is trying to further penalize them by attempting to advantage themselves.

        I think Red Bull and every other team besides Ferrari and Mercedes should be allowed a Pirelli tire test of no data sharing, 90% of which should be on ideas for next year’s tires, and they forfeit the modified YDT, OR Red Bull is denied such a request to test and everything stays as it is with Pirelli only testing further via the modified YDT, Friday practices and leave it at that.

        1. @robbie

          Red Bull themselves acknowledged that had they done the test in May rather than Mercedes that would have been even more controversial and highly contentious since they were (and still are) leading the Championships.

          When did they say that? Wasn’t their objection actually that they thought such a test would be illegal:

          our interpretation of the regulations is that that was in clear breach of them

          1. @keithcollantine You know I could have sworn I read a quote from either Horner, Marko, or Mateschitz to the effect that if they had done a Pirelli test it would have been more controversial, but I can’t find a reference to that and now it’s really bugging me. I may have strong opinions on things but I try not to make stuff up and I try to support my comments with some kind of valid argument, so it certainly wasn’t my intention to make something up here. I certainly trust your F1 memory and knowledge over my own so I retract my comment regarding Red Bull making this claim, even though I do believe personally that it truly would have been far far more controversial than Mercedes doing the test, who were not a top 3 team at the time of the test.

            And let’s face it…when Red Bull were being the most vocal about the nature of this year’s tires, and before we heard about the Pirelli test with Mercedes, most posters on this site where crying conspiracy that Red Bull was trying to get the tires changed to benefit themselves and were even assuming that because they were being so vocal they were going to get their way, in several people’s opinion. And when Vettel used the word safety, posters accused Red Bull of ‘resorting’ to that word because their vocabulary leading up to that was not getting the tires changed, allegedly for their own benefit.

    2. @npf1 As long as it is not 2013 spec car , it’s okay . But I believe they will not risk it . They have more to lose from a reprimand than gain a few tenths .

      1. If anything, Red Bull have risked disqualification and reprimands for tenths before. (Which I don’t condemn them for.) They’re right in wanting a test, Pirelli especially are, but they need to stop with the silly back handed comments on Mercedes’ test.

      2. @hamilfan
        They won’t get a reprimand or anything like that.
        FIA deemed that Ferrari testing a two year old car with Pirelli was perfectly in line with the regulations. Red Bull can do the same without trouble.

    3. I fail to see how Red Bull considering to do a test with / for Pirelli is sour grapes really. Pirelli have mentioned several times how its advantageous for them to test with more current cars, I think it would be even better if they tested with this years red bull, but 2011 will do fine, I guess.

      1. I just don’t get the point. Or Red Bull’s stance or motive. Either Red Bull believes testing with Pirelli with a two year old car is meaningful so they would consider it, and therefore they should be outraged at Ferrari’s advantage from testing with Pirelli twice, and we haven’t heard outrage from RBR at Ferrari, OR… testing with a two year old car is actually quite impotent, so why would they want to?

        I’ll assume Ferrari, like Mercedes, did not have data shared by Pirelli in order to further their cause, or else the Tribunal would have found cause to penalize Ferrari rather than exonerate them, so for Red Bull to have the same treatment it would mean so little to them that this comes across as pure childishness to even entertain it imho.

  3. OmarR-Pepper (@)
    13th July 2013, 1:53

    My favourite song of all time is…
    JB: Again there are too many – these are tough questions! I’ve been listening to a lot of Red Hot Chili Peppers recently – their album Blood Sugar — Magic is incredible and timeless.

    Wow! JB mentions my favorite album as one of his favs. This guy will appear as my avatar soon!

    1. I was just listening to Funky Monks when i read that :)

    2. Do you think he can hear the ghosts on the album too……..?

    3. Mother’s Milk

  4. I suggest that Red Bull work out how to keep the tyres on the car before they bother concerning themselves with doing non-secret secret tyre tests.

    1. They are relishing the chance of testing 2013 car updates, and perhaps new parts for the next season. Red Bull also may be interested in trying to reduce the number of KERS failures, it must be very hard to make changes to the rear of the car and still be assured of good cooling, in the end Vettel retired with a gearbox failure in Britain and he had a kers failure in Germany.

  5. Don’t Red Bull… you know, need Pirelli tyres in order to do a Pirelli test?

    1. Pirelli?

      Where we’re going, we don’t need Pirelli!

    2. Don’t Pirelli treat all teams the same? Or Ferrari and Mercedes are “more equal” than the rest? :)

  6. RBR still moaning? It’s done, stop crying about it and go forward.

    1. I read the article, I didn’t see any moaning, RBR might do a test… to go forward. Where’s the “moaning”?

      1. Obviously, he didn’t read the article

        1. Yes he did. If you didn’t see the moaning then you didn’t read the article.

  7. Bild is reporting that Sauber have run up debts of 90 million Euros, and need to find serious investment by the end of the month or else sell the team.

  8. Lovely tweet from Felix!

    1. Antonio is being a bit harsh there. Kimi is only 33, that’s hardly old :P

      1. Joking aside, 33 is heading towards senior citizenship in sports. Hard for me to imagine Alonso, Kimi and Mark are older than Schumacher when I started watching..

    2. Yeah… comments like those are sure to get him a seat in the near future. (insert sarcasm)

  9. I support Red Bull in this. Now the decision to let off Ferrari after who knows what bits they tested on their 2011 car will come back to haunt the FIA.

    Heck, why don’t Mercedes run a 2011 car test with 2013 kers on board or something while we’re at it. Should be let off by the FiA no problem.

    1. Now the decision to let off Ferrari after who knows what bits they tested on their 2011 car will come back to haunt the FIA.

      How?

  10. Red Bull just can’t help themselves, can they? Any chance to whine, complain or sneer, they’ll take it and run it into the ground. Do your test and shut up already.

    1. Well since it was the journalist the one asking, Horner was only replying…

      1. With all due respect, bullhockey. Horner could have ended the reply after his two sentences: “We will see. It is something we have to discuss with Pirelli.” But no, he had to be a jerk and snark.

        I’ll say it again: do your test and shut up already.

  11. In case no one noticed, F1 is about competition and it is idiotic to condemn any team for trying to maximize their knowledge and competitive advantage at any chance they can get.
    Those of you whining about whiners seem to be the biggest whiners of all, and based on v little fact.
    Finally, since we now have complaints about test drivers trying to hide their identity, perhaps F1 should hire The Stig to do all of the driving.

    1. So you whine about whiners whining about whining? Where will this end?

Comments are closed.